Duck pens & keeping ducks in the winter

[Kmb8307]

Hello, I have 4 ducks & 2 geese and I am wondering what everyone has for a set up for their flock. I let them free range when I am home, but we have dogs that will kill them as well, so I have to be very aware of where the dogs are. We have 5 kids 10 & under who constantly let the dogs out when my flock is out. The dogs have managed to kill 7 of my chickens this year but luckily none of my ducks or geese. Please show me your set ups and what materials you use. Our current run for them is dirt & it turns their pond to mud! It is such a pain to clean every couple days

Also what do you do in the winter, I know they need water, but how do you keep it from freezing? Also what kind of waterer do you use? They some how get mud in their current one & it gets all smelly & gross! I had no ideas these guys would be such a challenge, but I love them so much! I could just sit and watch them all day

I am a first time duck & goose mom & just want advice on what works best for them on upkeep, duck pens & keeping them in the winter!

 

[rjohns39]

Consider putting electro net between the birds and dogs. https://www.premier1supplies.com/poultry/fencing.php

I use a small swimming pool for mine and clean it out every couple of days. Winter time all go into a greenhouse, haven't had a freezing problem, but a tank heater can keep the water from freezing.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

My five ducks spend the day in the garden which consists of three raised beds fenced off from the rest of the yard. They are let out into the rest of our fenced yard when I get home from work until bedtime (as seen in the last picture). At night they are locked in the pvc hoop pen with attached coop that I made and covered with tarp. I fill the coop with pine shavings (hay on top of the shavings in the winter). Old shavings go into the pen and around the garden to combat the mud. I have two pool in the garden, a small baby pool and a black, garden pond liner. I empty them every day during the summer into the gardens. During the winter I only use the deep pool and only change the water every couple of days. I cover the raised beds with frost cloth and garden all through the winter so the duck's water still waters the garden. The ducks have a heated dog water dish in their hoop pen, so they always have water in the winter. They also have several (4 or 5) additional small buckets (old epsom salt containers) filled with water so they can spread the mud around. It doesn't stay below freezing for more than a day or two at a time where I live so I spoil the ducks when it is really cold by pouring hot tap water on the ice in their black pool. That way they always have water to swim in. I read on this site to put bails of hay or straw around the outside of their coop to keep in insulted in the winter. It worked great. I never had to add any additional heat or even shut them in the coop.
I hope this gives you some ideas!

 

[Kmb8307]

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My five ducks spend the day in the garden which consists of three raised beds fenced off from the rest of the yard. They are let out into the rest of our fenced yard when I get home from work until bedtime (as seen in the last picture). At night they are locked in the pvc hoop pen with attached coop that I made and covered with tarp. I fill the coop with pine shavings (hay on top of the shavings in the winter). Old shavings go into the pen and around the garden to combat the mud. I have two pool in the garden, a small baby pool and a black, garden pond liner. I empty them every day during the summer into the gardens. During the winter I only use the deep pool and only change the water every couple of days. I cover the raised beds with frost cloth and garden all through the winter so the duck's water still waters the garden. The ducks have a heated dog water dish in their hoop pen, so they always have water in the winter. They also have several (4 or 5) additional small buckets (old epsom salt containers) filled with water so they can spread the mud around. It doesn't stay below freezing for more than a day or two at a time where I live so I spoil the ducks when it is really cold by pouring hot tap water on the ice in their black pool. That way they always have water to swim in. I read on this site to put bails of hay or straw around the outside of their coop to keep in insulted in the winter. It worked great. I never had to add any additional heat or even shut them in the coop.
I hope this gives you some ideas!

That looks like a pretty self sustaining set up. Unfortunately I live in a place (South Dakota) where we have bitter cold winters, i'm talking days with -45 degree F. Wind chills & lots of snow i am worried about how i'm going to keep them with enough water & keep or from not freezing! I have a little duck house for them & will put straw in their house. My chickens have a heated waterer that keeps them from freezing but i worry this won't work for the ducks because they make such a mess with their waterer & will probably get the base wet which will burn it out. Thanks for sharing your set up!

 

[Miss Lydia]

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&k...qmt=p&hvbmt=bp&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_7ja1vj7mf4_p

I have 5 gal and 2 gal for my ducks and geese and I put steps made for scrap timbers etc so the chickens can use them too. I have had most of mine at least 5 yrs so far only one has died.[heated bucket that is] Don't sit them inside another container and put up off the ground to keep them from sitting in snow.

As for the dogs fencing is the best to keep them separated and training. Make sure it's high enough and sturdy enough to keep the dogs on their side.

 

[Duckymomlol]

Pond or fish tank heater in the water. May have to jimmy a cover for the glass, to keep them from messing with it to much, but they're small, affordable and keep your bucket from freezing.
Another wise price of advice I got here: keep the water bucket inside a bigger container to catch the spills when it's in their coop. I use an ice cream bucket inside a shorter bucket (I've also used a disc shaped kids sled! As long as it catches the spills). Keeps the water from getting everywhere inside their house.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Not if using heated buckets though another member had one of her geese electrocuted by placing a heated bucket down into a container to catch the spilled water.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Not if using heated buckets though another member had one of her geese electrocuted by placing a heated bucket down into a container to catch the spilled water.

Oh no. I can see how that could happen
I used a bird bath heater last year in my ducks bowl it worked good. But now I have more ducks and not sure I will have electric where the new coop will be for this winter. . wondering how well this would work.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

I would have to make a ramp or steps for my little calls to reach it. Thought about trying it for my dogs water too.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Be worth trying.